Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 147, the progress he has made in addressing the issues faced by communities who cannot secure insurance for flooding, especially for those where remedial work has been done; if he will consider State intervention on this matter; if he will address the implications for those homes when it comes to property tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6052/13]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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As I advised the Deputy in October 2012 I am conscious of the difficulties some people have been experiencing in securing insurance cover for flood risk at affordable prices or at all.

I have been pressing the Irish Insurance Federation for agreement on a sustainable system of information sharing particularly for locations vulnerable to flooding and for identifying flood alleviation schemes and works completed and where the standard of protection afforded by these works could be verified.

A working group has now been established between the Office of Public Works, the IIF and representatives of several insurance companies to progress this work. I am confident that a system of information sharing can be agreed which will enable the insurance industry to be more fully informed as to the extent of the OPW investment in flood protection measures and to take that investment fully into account in assessing flood risk for insurance purposes. The first meeting of this working group took place in January.

My colleague the Minister for Finance has recently reiterated that the issue of provision of new flood cover or the renewal of existing flood cover is a commercial matter for insurance companies, which has to be based on a proper assessment of the risks they are accepting. These are often considered on a case by case basis and it is important to be clear that neither the Government nor the Central Bank has any influence over this matter.

The Local Property Tax (LPT) is a matter for the Minister for Finance and I understand the Deputy has tabled a separate Parliamentary Question to him on whether LPT applies to these properties.